The launch of Civilization 7 on Steam has been rocky, to say the least. Since its debut in February, the strategy sequel has struggled to attract players on Valve's platform, earning a 'mixed' reaction from Steam users. Despite multiple patches from developer Firaxis aimed at improving the game, Civilization 7 currently boasts fewer players than its predecessors, Civilization 6 and the 15-year-old Civilization 5.
While the Steam performance of Civ 7 is concerning, it's important to note that the game was also released on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. A version for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, which will utilize new Joy-Con mouse controls, is also on the horizon. However, given that the Civilization series thrives on PC, the struggles of Civ 7 on this platform are particularly notable.
You might expect that Take-Two, the parent company of Firaxis, would be disappointed. Yet, in an interview with IGN ahead of the company's latest financial results, CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed his enthusiasm for Civ 7. "I'm thrilled with Civ 7 so far," Zelnick stated. He acknowledged initial issues but praised the efforts of the Firaxis team in addressing them. "There's more work to be done. I'm optimistic that work will be done and will suit consumers, and ultimately that we have a very successful title on our hands."
Zelnick highlighted the Civilization franchise's history of having a long sales cycle, suggesting that Civ 7 will likely follow a similar pattern. "The history of all the Civilization releases is that initially some of the changes that we make cause consternation among our consumers because they love the Civilization franchise so much," he explained. "And then people realize, oh, this really is an improvement and over a long sales cycle, we do really well. I think that's what'll happen here too. But undoubtedly, we had some issues in the beginning, which we've addressed partially and continue to address."
At launch, players criticized Civilization 7 for its user interface, lack of map variety, and missing features that fans expected from the series. Zelnick's comments about the initial nervousness of hardcore Civ players likely refer to the significant changes Firaxis introduced, including a new gameplay mechanic involving Age Transitions. In Civilization 7, players progress through three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. During an Age Transition, players select a new civilization from the new Age, choose which Legacies to retain, and witness the evolution of the game world. This system is a first for the Civilization series, and Zelnick believes that fans will grow to appreciate it over time.
Take-Two has not yet disclosed specific sales figures for Civilization 7, but in its financial report, the company mentioned efforts to "expand the audience." These efforts include the recent launch of Civilization 7 VR for Meta Quest 3 and 3S, as well as the upcoming port for the Nintendo Switch 2.
